Avnet today introduced the new SmartFusion™2 KickStart Kit. The versatile prototyping solution designed by Avnet offers engineers in communications, medical, automotive, video, smart energy and industrial markets the much-needed low power, high security and reliability required for today’s Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices in a low-cost development and demonstration platform. The SmartFusion2 KickStart Kit is priced at $59.95.
Avnet’s SmartFusion2 KickStart board features the low power, single event upset (SEU)-immune Microsemi M2S010S SmartFusion2 SoC FPGA, a secure and integrated programmable system-on-a-chip device with 10k logic elements and a 166 MHz ARM® Cortex®-M3 processor. Unlike existing SmartFusion2 development boards, Avnet’s KickStart Board does not require a separate JTAG emulator or power supply, as this is now integrated onto the USB-powered board. For communications, Microchip Technology’s RN4020 Bluetooth® Low Energy Module is provided in addition to USB serial. Two tiny, low power onboard sensors also allow engineers access to ambient light, a gyrometer, accelerometer and a temperature sensor. The Arduino and Pmod-compatible interfaces provide for the easy addition of existing custom modules to implement applications such as bridging, acceleration and I/O expansion. An easy–to-use Windows-based GUI and an Android app are available to demonstrate the full functionality of the SmartFusion2 KickStart Kit.
The SmartFusion2 KickStart board features:
- SmartFusion2 M2S010S SoC FPGA with embedded security
- Bluetooth 4.1 (BLE) interface and an Android app
- USB serial with Windows-based GUI
- Arduino-compatible interface
- Three 12-pin PMOD-compatible connectors (supply voltages can be set to 3.3V or 2.5V)
- On-board 6DoF motion plus temperature sensor and MAX44009 ambient light sensor
- USB power and JTAG
- Two user push-button switches
- Four dual-filament user LEDs (red, green or yellow)
The SmartFusion2 KickStart Kit comes with an Avnet reference design that provides examples of how to use device features and interfaces and includes a number of easy-to-follow demonstrations.
